June 8, 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mayor Steve Noble Seeks Applicants to Serve on New
Kingston City Land Bank Board of Directors
KINGSTON, N.Y. – Mayor Steve Noble is now accepting applications from Kingston residents interested in serving on the Board of Directors of the City’s newly established Kingston City Land Bank.
The Kingston City Land Bank has been formed with the purpose of acquiring title to city-owned and other distressed properties in the City of Kingston, removing barriers to redevelopment, and returning the properties to the tax rolls. The key priorities of the Kingston City Land Bank will be to ensure that the reuse of these properties provides opportunities for homeownership for those who might not otherwise be afforded such opportunity, to maintain a range of affordability in the city's housing stock, and to guide the redevelopment of properties to enhance neighborhoods and suit the needs of the residents of those neighborhoods.
“My administration is absolutely committed to improving access to good quality, affordable housing, to addressing deteriorating housing conditions that are negatively impacting our neighborhoods, and to returning properties to the tax rolls,” said Mayor Noble. “The launch of the Kingston City Land Bank is one of the most significant and effective actions the City of Kingston has made in advancing housing conditions and affordability in decades. We have a tremendous amount of work ahead of us and we need a strong Board of Directors to help lead this effort.”
As per the Kingston City Land Bank’s by-laws, the entire Board of Directors will consist of nine (9) Directors, all of whom are City of Kingston residents. In addition to six members from the public to be appointed by the Mayor, the Board will include the Deputy Chief in charge of the Building Safety Division or his/her appointee, a member of the Kingston Planning Board selected by a full vote of the Planning Board, and the Mayor. Two (2) community members from each of the City of Kingston’s three (3) County Legislative Districts will be appointed. Upon the Board’s inception, one Director from each legislative district shall serve one (1) two-year term and one Director shall serve one (1) three-year term. Subsequent terms shall be three years.
To apply to serve on the Board of Directors of the Kingston City Land Bank, individuals should pick up and return their application to the Mayor’s Office in City Hall, located at 420 Broadway. Applications may also be downloaded here or submitted electronically at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KingstonBoards. Applications for this volunteer opportunity are due by Friday, June 29th.
For general questions about the Kingston City Land Bank, please contact Brenna Robinson, Director of Economic and Community Development, at 845-334-3924 or at [email protected].
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